Don't Go Without Me
by Flyleafandvampires8
Summary: Inspired by the song "C'est la Mort" by the Civil Wars. Percico loosely based 30 Day OTP Challenge. In the recent light of the House of Hades spoilers, I have decided to try my own interpretation of the 30 Day OTP Challenge. So, here it is. Nico and Percy realize secret feelings for each other, and try their own hand at a relationship.
1. Holding Hands

_Just focus. It's not that hard. You've done this for four years now. Get a hold of yourself._

Percy Jackson let out a huff of breath as he clutched his knees, sweat dripping from his skin. Annabeth was a skilled fighter—a much better one than him—and with the way a bare-chested son of Hades was dueling a new camper beside him, his eyes kept wandering, giving Annabeth a distraction at almost every turn. "Gods, Seaweed Brain. Just tell the guy you like him already."

The words seemed to snap Percy out of his trance as he stared into Annabeth's eyes. Her hands were on her hips and a frown was curled on her lips. Her cheeks were red—but Percy couldn't tell if it was from the summer heat or embarrassment. He suddenly felt bad that he hadn't tried to make his attraction to Nico less obvious to Annabeth—she still had feelings for him. But she was still, nonetheless, a friend before a girlfriend—and she had promised to support Percy whatever decision he made. "I don't know how."

"It's not hard. I can do it for you." Annabeth started walking forwards with a certain determination in her eyes, but Percy gripped her wrist and yanked her back.

"No, it'll look stupid if you do it. I need to do it myself."

"Then do it. C'mon, Perce, look at the kid."

And Percy did look.

Nico's hair had gotten so long in the past year that he was able to tie a small knot at the back of his head. His bangs hung in his eyes, soaked in sweat. A smirk gleamed on his lips and small cuts bleeding red littered his arms. He didn't seem too hurt by the small, measly injuries, but instead, it seemed to encourage him. His opponent laid collapsed under the tree, being revived by a cup of nectar from an Apollo kid. _Since when did he become a good fighter? _

"Tonight they're having the annual fireworks. And if you don't tell him your feelings by then, then I'll do it myself."

Percy nodded and was hesitant to get back to fighting, the image of Nico under a colorful array of lights almost too much to bare.

* * *

The fireworks display was pretty much the only opportunity for campers to be alone with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and Percy suddenly began imagining taking Nico out on a canoe and anchoring it to the bottom of the lake. It was an image that he wanted more than anything to bring to life, but as he stood at Nico's red painted door to his cabin, he found all courage he had earlier completely gone. _Oh gods, I'll have to ask him on a date. How am I even supposed to do this? _

Percy gripped the wrought iron skeletal knocker and clanged it on the wood. After three clangs, Nico was at the door, back in his typical black shirt, jeans, and aviator's jacket combination. He looked shocked, red even, that Percy was standing at his door. "Hey, Percy. What can I do for you?"

"Um… Nico, I need to talk to you."

"Uh… sure thing. Come in."

Percy stepped inside of Nico's cabin—more like cave—and didn't know where to sit. There was a chair that glistened gray and red in the candlelight, and a bed made from stalagmites and red silk. He glanced at the bed and then at Nico, and eventually decided it was best to sit on his bed. Nico sat across from him and Percy cleared his throat. "The fireworks are tonight."

"Yeah, I know. Kind of boring," Nico looked down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs. _Hades. He's not going to want to go._

"Well… would it be as boring if… you went with me?"

Nico's head flung up and his brown eyes widened. "Like a date?"

"… yeah. Exactly like a date."

"Are you asking me out, Percy Jackson?"

Percy felt his face grow hot and he cleared his throat again. "I suppose I am."

"I'd love to go, then, if it was with you." Nico cracked a small grin, a little sliver of a smile on his lips. The fact that the seemingly unemotional son of Hades was not only smiling, but blushing up a storm, was enough to make Percy return the gesture. He grabbed Nico's hand hesitantly as he intertwined their fingers, pressing their foreheads together.


	2. Cuddling Somewhere

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything-Rick Riordan does. If I did, Nico and Percy would be a couple **

As the night grew nearer, Percy felt his palms get sweatier and the collar on his polo shirt get a bit tighter. He felt slightly dressy for a rather casual date, but he didn't care. He grabbed the picnic basket packed with two bottles of nectar and a tray of still steaming French fries and began to make his way to the lake—the place where Nico and he had agreed to meet.

When he got to the rocky shore, Nico wasn't in sight. Percy gently set down the picnic basket and took a green canoe from the boatshed, putting it out into the water and willing it to stay put. "I feel kind of under dressed."

"Gods!" Percy nearly jumped ten feet in the air as Nico appeared before him, a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of skinny jeans that seemed to hug his legs in all of the right places. "You scared me."

"Sorry," His combat boots crunched on the rocks as hesitantly looked at the water as if it was poisoned with the venom of a thousand rattlesnakes. "Won't your dad kill me for going out onto the water?"

"I'll protect you."

Percy was surprised at the own words that came out of his mouth, and by the way Nico's face turned a deep crimson, he felt the same. Percy crawled into the canoe first with his picnic basket in hand and helped Nico in. They took an oar and rowed out into the middle of the lake, right where the fireworks were being set up behind the hills. It was a beautiful night out—white stars lighting up the dark sky. Nico was mesmerized by the sight of it, and Percy felt himself smiling. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Nico nodded. "Very."

Percy went over the tips of a first date in his head—ones Annabeth had given him—and he suddenly lacked the courage to do anything. _Kiss. Hold hands. Snuggle. _"Nico, come here."

Nico scooted over to Percy as he placed an arm around his waist, lowering them into the bottom of the canoe so they were laying down. It felt just right, Percy realized, with Nico's head in between the crook of his neck, his dark hair tickling the skin on Percy's face slightly. Nico offered up no resistance when Percy wrapped a second arm around his waist, bringing him into his side in a sort of messed up backwards hug. Nico closed his eyes and took a deep breath, leaning into Percy's touch. "This is… nice." _ Couldn't think of anything else to say Seaweed Brain? _Percy mentally cursed himself for being as awkward as he was at being in a relationship, especially one he had wanted for so long.

"It's amazing."

Bright multicolored lights began to dot the sky, but all Percy could do was close his eyes and enjoy Nico's company. This moment was absolutely perfect—his arms around Nico in a secure hug, Nico's hands on top of his own, the tangling of their legs—combat boots mixing with mint-green Converse, and Percy was tempted to lay a kiss on the son of Hades's head.

**ok so i forgot to write an author's note for this chapter (sorry)**

**so yeah if you haven't read house of hades yet, then don't read this bit. **

**i may have cried really hard when nico confessed his feelings for percy. it was kinda obvious though, and it seemed out of place that everyone was convinced his crush was on annabeth when he barely talked to her. but yeah i ship them really hard so I'll try to update this fic as much as possible as ideas come to me. **


End file.
